Third seed Naomi Osaka has fought off two match points to keep her Australian Open title hopes alive with a thrilling fourth-round win over 2020 runner-up Garbine Muguruza.
In a two-hour heavyweight battle of former world No.1s and multiple major winners, Osaka prevailed 4-6 6-4 7-5 on Sunday to advance to the quarter-finals.
Champion at Melbourne Park in 2019 and a dual US Open winner, Osaka was staring down the barrel serving at 4-5, 15-40 in the deciding set but came up with a clutch ace and booming forehand winner to save the pair of match points.
She finished with 40 clean winners and 36 unforced errors after needing to redline it to keep Muguruza at bay.
The Spanish star's only defeat in eight matches this summer came against world No.1 Ash Barty in the final of the Yarra Valley Classic lead-up event.
Osaka knew she was in for a torrid day out in her first career meeting with Muguruza.
"I feel like today I didn't really know what to expect because I'd never played her before," Osaka said.
"I just knew it was going to be tough. I was a bit intimidated because I knew she was playing really well coming into this match.
"In the stressful points, I feel like I just had to go within myself and I know that I probably hit a lot of unforced errors but it was something I needed to do.
"I couldn't really give her any short balls because she would finish it."
Osaka will play Taiwanese surprise packet Hsieh Su-Wei on Tuesday for a place in the final four.
